Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz has tested positive for novel coronavirus and he has been suffering from fever for the last three days.
“In view of his deteriorating health, he should be shifted from the Kot Lakhpat Jail to a hospital immediately,” she demanded in a tweet. “And, all legal requirements should be completed so that he is offered healthcare facilities.”
The PML-N leader warned that negligence in the treatment can jeopardise his health. She also requested the party workers to pray for Hamza's early recovery.
PML-N's Attaullah Tarar said that the party has written to the authorities to shift Hamza to Ittefaq Hospital immediately "where his physician Dr Rizwan can have access to him and administer medical treatment".
"He's been unwell since a week. NAB prisoners languish in prisons without any investigation or evidence," he wrote.
Confirming that his son had contracted the dangerous disease while incarcerated, Hamza's father Shehbaz Sharif said: "After having bravely fought cases against him in the Musharraf era, he is now facing political vengeance at the hands of the NAB-Niazi nexus."
"I request you all to pray for Hamza's early recovery," he added.
Meanwhile, Maryam Nawaz cast aspersions on how it was that a person kept in solitary confinement had contracted the viral disease.
"It begs the question how a prisoner kept in solitary confinement has contracted coronavirus," she wrote.
She also said that "a probe has yet to be done" on what food was being provided to her father Nawaz Sharif after authorities had forbid home food from being brought to him.
"After prohibiting food from home, what was NAB giving Nawaz Sharif that he fell ill all of a sudden? His platelets fell to a dangerously low level and he suffered a heart attack," she wrote.
Shehbaz had yesterday visited the jail to see his son Hamza and inquire about his health, according to jail sources.
The two discussed the current political situation, cases against their family and other issues. Later, Hamza’s family also met him.
Case against Shehbaz's family
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has filed a Rs7 billion money laundering and assets beyond means reference against Shehbaz Sharif's family including his wife, sons and two daughters.
Owing to his illness, Hamza couldn’t show up at the latest accountability court hearing held on September 10.
NAB has nominated Shehbaz, his wife Nusrat Shehbaz, sons Hamza Shehbaz, Suleman Shehbaz, daughters Rabia Imran and Javeria Ali in the reference. Suleman Shehbaz is a proclaimed offender in the case.
Hamza is in jail on judicial remand. Earlier, his bail application was turned down by the Lahore High Court in the money laundering case.
